The NBA Summer League heads to Las Vegas this week for 11 days of competition, and the NBA teed up a must-see matchup to get the festivities rolling. The Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz face off in the game of the night on Thursday, with the No. 1 and No. 2 picks of the 2026 NBA Draft facing off for the first time in their young careers.
The Wizards selected 6-foot-9 forward AJ Dybantsa with the first overall pick this year, named a consensus First-Team All-American and the 2026-26 Big 12 Rookie of the Year in his lone season at BYU. The Utah Jazz selecting Darryn Peterson No. 2 overall is hardly a consolation prize, though, as he’s a dynamic playmaker who seems to have figured out his medical concerns from college early on, posting a combined 53 points in his first two Summer League games.
Read more about the 2026 NBA Summer League, including the daily schedule, competition format, players to watch and more.
Where to watch AJ Dybantsa vs. Darryn Peterson
Jazz-Wizards start time: 9 p.m. ET
Location: Thomas & Mack Center | Las Vegas
TV channel: ESPN
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for the latest as this year’s first and second overall picks face off in Thursday night’s NBA Summer League matchup:
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Andy Backstrom
Darryn Peterson’s lone season at Kansas raised questions, more so about his availability than his ability. He could put those concerns to bed early in his NBA career.
After explaining in the lead-up to the draft that doctors determined his cramping issues in college were due to him taking high doses of creatine, Peterson finally took the court again Saturday.
It didn’t take the guard long to showcase his intriguing two-way impact, a 94-foot skill set the Utah Jazz couldn’t pass on at No. 2 overall. In the opening 91 seconds of the Jazz’s 103-102 overtime win over the Atlanta Hawks in the Salt Lake City Summer League at University of Utah’s Jon M. Huntsman Center, Peterson recorded his first bucket, rebound and block.
He wound up with 28 points in 27 minutes on 11-of-21 shooting — including a 4-of-7 performance from beyond the arc — with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks.
What’s in store for Thursday night? 🤔 His over/under for total points scored is set at 24.5 on FanDuel Sportsbook.
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